1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to bomb liners.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Bomb liners have, in the past, generally been fabricated from asphalt. Asphalt, while it is inexpensive and easy to apply as a liner, has certain drawbacks. One of these drawbacks is the fact that it is not impervious to an explosive such as trinitrotoluene (TNT). Another is that it is exothermically reactive with hot TNT. The result of these drawbacks may be readily imagined if one considers what happens if an asphalt lined bomb casing is (1) loaded with TNT and (2) accidently exposed to a fire or even fairly intense heat. When the molten TNT is poured into the bomb it permeates the asphalt liner and becomes intimately mixed with it. Then, when the TNT is heated by the fire, it and the asphalt react giving off still more heat. A violent explosion is often the result.
Another drawback of asphalt liners lies in the fact that they tend to harden and crack when subjected to thermal cycling. When this happens, the explosive within the bomb exudes through the cracks and comes into contact with metal casing of the bomb--something the liner was put in to prevent. Because of these drawbacks, substitutes for asphalt have been considered.